Coronation Street - Keeping The Home Fires BurningBy Daran Little
Every fan of the Street remembers Ena Sharples, but few will know the touching story that helped mould her into the legend she is. It is 1914 and for fifteen year old Ena Schofield, life will never be the same again. As childhood pals, workmates and neighbours proudly march off to War, mothers, sisters and sweethearts promise to write and pray for the young soldiers and suddenly Ena feels she must also do her bit. She grabs a passing lad and asks for his name. 'Albert Tatlock', the nineteen year old stammers...and so begins a unique correspondence but will friendship turn to love? Coronation Street may be tragically bereft of young men, but there's never a dull moment. At the Rovers Return landlady Nellie Corbishley is blissfully unaware of a plan to poison her. Meanwhile young Alice Buck from Number 9, pregnant with a baby conceived the night before Victor Piggott marched off to war, is only too aware of the shame and rejection she faces. But the greatest fear for everyone is the rap of the telegram boy. As news reaches the Street of the terrible toll the Battle of the Somme has taken amongst the Weatherfield Pals, the resilient women of Coronation Street turn to the mysterious Dr Sharples and his son Albert for their special brand of help... Brimful of romance, emotional hardship and resilient humour, Keeping the Home Fires Burning celebrates all that the show's twenty million fans love about Coronation Street.
ReviewsThis book was brilliant, compelling reading. Although you think you know the charecters from tv, it was enthralling to read about their lives before during the first world war. I would love the next installment, about Ena, Minnie, Martha and Albert and co. coped with the depression, but I have not seen one like this yet. First book far better-should be televised.Potential "teenage Elsies"would have included Sally Ann Matthews(Jenny Bradley)and Jane Danson(Leanne Battersby).Seemed inconsistent between books-Dot Todd going from not being interested in Walt Greenhalgh to marrying him with no explanation. Keeping the Home Fires Burning was an interesting read. Anyone who has followed Coronation Street from the beginning will find the tales of Ena Sharples early days both humerous and sad. The book also give an insight into what made Ena into the person we knew when Coronation Street came on the air. It explains a lot about her attitudes and those of her friends Martha and Minnie. It also tells of her long friendship which could have been more with Albert Tatlock. As well as telling the story of well know Coronation Street characters it gives us some inisight into what it was like for the women left at home in the dark days of world war 1. I will definitely be looking for other books in this vane. | ||||
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